2017 Was A Record Donation Year For UM Thanks To Largest Donation Ever

The University of Montana has grown accustom to receiving a significant amount of money in donations each year, but this year was one for the record books. UM Foundation Spokeswoman Kate Stober explains.

“The University of Montana Foundation received over $84 million in private support for the university,” said Stober. “This includes donations for scholarships, faculty, building renovations and programs as well. Private support is really felt across campus. We are so very grateful for our generous donors who believe in the power of education.”

This is the fourth year in a row that UM has topped $50 million in donations. Before this year, Stober says $53.7 million was the most UM had ever received.

“We really kind of blew that record out of the water this year and it is mostly thanks to the university’s largest ever donation,” Stober said. “We received $24 million from Bill and Carolyn Franke and their family to support the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation and the Franke Global Leadership Imitative.”

According to Stober, about 14,500 people donated money to the university this year and that is up a couple of hundred people compared to last year.